Are Palmer-inspired Chelsea a threat for trophies again?

Chelsea will feel that, despite coming out on top in a chaotic first half, they are starting to lay down a real marker for what they can achieve this season.

Before kick-off, Enzo Maresca said it was time for his squad, the Premier League's youngest, to show they are 'men'.

Well, unlike on many occasions last season, they reacted well to going 1-0 down and through Cole Palmer's stunning four first half goals, found themselves 4-2 up after a chaotic 45 minutes.

Brighton managed to unsettle Chelsea's backline and goalkeeper with their extremely high defensive line and intense pressing, but ultimately, Maresca's approach and players were superior.

Beating this Brighton side is no mean feat, as they were unbeaten ahead of kick-off, and had only conceded four goals.

Some may credit Maresca for transforming what looked like a chaotic club from the outside amid another busy summer of transfers both in and out, but this is also a club maturing two years into the new ownership.

While Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali's Clearlake Capital are trying to buy each other out, a new medical department has been put in place and has settled, with high level directors now settled into roles across the football department after a post-Roman Abramovich cull.

Mauricio Pochettino also did some good work building a culture and getting some of the younger players ready to compete this season.

Cole Palmer, who excelled last season, has continued his form, adding six goals and four assists in his first six league matches.

But there is also real progress in the development of Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto and others.

And, of course, after over £1.5billion spent in the last three transfer windows, Chelsea have probably the deepest squad of talent in world football.

Chelsea now trail by just one point behind league leaders Manchester City, posing the question: just how significant a threat does this team pose to the elite clubs?